designed by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, France, c. 1925/27, wenge wood veneer, bevelled glass, silver-plated bronze, glass shelves, back inside with brown velvet cover, framed with mirrored strips, interior lighting, 5-flame, height approx. 170 cm, width approx. 79 cm, depth approx. 54 and approx. 30 cm. (DRAX)

Provenance:
private ownership, Belgium, bought on 1 March 1979 at auction at the Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels, lot 956, p. 86, plate XXIV

Lit.:
Auction catalogue, Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels, 27 February – 1 March 1979, p. 86, lot 956, plate XXIV

The two display cabinets betray a close relationship in terms of style to numerous of Ruhlmann’s designs from the years around 1925. Formal correspondences can particularly be found in his interior designs for the Paris showroom of the English cosmetics brand Vivile-Yardley, which was opened in 1928.

Lit.:
cf. E.-J.Bréon, Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann. Der Innenarchitekt, II, Paris 2004, ills. p. 16 and p. 18 (Yardley Perfumery), ill. p. 91 (design for a dining room from the album Récéption) – F. Jakubowicz, Ruhlmann: un génie de l’Art déco, Musée des Années 30 de Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris 2002, ill. p. 114 (Salon de présentation de magasin), ill. p. 270 (projet pour le magazine), ill. p. 272 (projet pour le grand salon d’exposition de M. Ducharne)